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Hi again!
 
Hi again!
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Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
 
Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
  
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It looks like the war against the ants has ended in an uneasy cease-fire, as most conflicts do in the middle-east.  Plugging the electrical conduits does seem to have stopped their easy access, and we actually saw no ants over the holiday.  However, this morning I noticed some ants around the dishwasher, and I assume they are coming in from the electrical outlet the dishwasher is plugged into. <grrr>!  What I need is an "Antenator", made by the people who make the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z96JvhPdE6o&feature=related Rodenator]!
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Another busy week!  Work has been crazy, the birds and the flowers are bursting with activity (as are the ants).  Had the opportunity to do a new mitsvah.
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The holiday itself was very relaxing.  I think this was the most relaxing ''pesach'' on record (for us, anyway).  But the last day of ''chol-hamo`ed'' (the day before the last actual ''yom-tov'', there was a ''{{wiki|sharav}}'' -- and so we read with relief the forecast of cooler weather following.  We sat down for the last holiday meal with some friends, and towards the end of the meal the wind picked up -- and the temperature dropped precipitously.  Our guests walked home in 50kph winds, and the next day was nice and cool.  Rain even fell... weird weather.
 
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During ''chol-hamoed'', we went to the ''{{wiki2|Western_Wall|kotel}}'' to see ''[http://ronware.org/Pictures/Birkat%20Kohanim%205769/index.html birkat hakohanim]'' (the Kohanic blessing).  The Jerusalem Post had almost no coverage of that event, but the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239488117886&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Easter celebrations] were front page press. <sarcasm> It makes sense. After all, the two events are not comparable in religious importance.  On the one hand you have idolaters celebrating their "god's" death and resurrection; on the other hand you have the descendants of Aaron the High Priest continuing to perform a Biblical command to bless His people Israel.  Obviously, the Israeli press should give priority to the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations.</sarcasm>
 
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We also found a new park near us with [http://ronware.org/Pictures/Purty%20Flowers/index.html purty flowers].  Enjoy the pictures!
 
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Dear American Jews: [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238562943885&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull don't cry for us].  The rabid left-wing keeps asserting that "without US aid and support, Israel would be finished". Let's examine that claim, shall we?
 
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US aid to Israel in 2007 was $2.5 billion, of which 160 million was actual 'financial aid'.  The other $2.34 billion was "military aid".  Most of that aid consists of guarantees, such that Israel has to purchase US military goods with that money.  That is to say, the money is "given" to Israel which must then turn around and support the US military industry.  So in fact, the "aid" given to Israel directly supports the US economy!
 
  
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The Israeli GDP for 2008 was almost $189 billion (at the official rate of exchange).  Given that only 160 million of US aid was intended to help the economy of Israel, the loss of it would entail a mere 0.08% of Israel's GDP.  I highly doubt that would affect Israeli's standard of living in any meaningful way.  Even were the entire 2.5 billion actually financial aid, it would still only constitute 1.3% of Israel's GDP. Yes, I realize I took aid numbers from 2007 and GDP from 2008, but that's what I had available. In fact, 2008 aid numbers are ''lower'' than 2007 numbers, so the percentages would be even smaller.
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Last week I posted pictures of flowers, and a friend of mine asked if there were any birds in Israel -- since it seems so arid.  It turns out that Israel has a very large and varied bird population, because of its unique location at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. We have a tremendous number of birds... here are [http://www.israbirding.com/gallery/ professional pictures] of some.
  
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More to the point: US aid to Israel has nothing whatsoever to do with supporting Israel per se.  The US started supporting Israel in a meaningful way only ''after'' the Yom Kippur War, when the Soviet empire's influence in the Arab world was growing very strong. America wanted a strong ally (e.g. pawn) to offset the Soviets and to project US power in the region.
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Just yesterday we noticed a hummingbird hovering outside our ''salon'' window -- it was interested in the [http://ronware.org/Pictures/Roses%20(Iyyar%205769)/index.html sweet smelling roses] which are growing like crazy all around our house. Today there was a dove trying to establish a nest right at the front door of our house (above the electric meter).  I sent it away, and hopefully it won't return to litter our front stoop with its offerings.
  
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As a result of this relationship, while it gives Israel access to American military technology (at the whim of US leaders, of course), it also prevents Israel from developing its own industries and making such deals as are appropriate for its own sovereign interests.  The US, for instance, vetoed a multi-billion dollar deal Israel had made with China for Israeli military technology, and Israel had to meekly cancel the deal (and anger the Chinese, who will not soon forget that slight).
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The ants have not yet given up.  This week they finally drove Esther crazy, so my war of extirpation has had to be turned up a notch.  I've been looking for {{wiki|boric acid}}, which is a primary ingredient in the more effective ant-baits.  In the US, one could purchase it in any drugstore... but here, no such luck.  However, I did find one place (beware: advert for a local vendor follows), a privately owned pharmacy "Brosh", here in Maaleh Adummim, which not only has boric acid -- but can make all kinds of custom formulations (they actually have a laboratory, unlike the chain drugstores).  I was very happy to find they carried the poison I needed.  After getting back home with my stash, I cooked up some ant-be-gone syrup and put it in a couple places in the kitchen.  Sadly, no ants have yet bitten the bait -- which isn't too surprising, they're fearfully clever little creatures.
  
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The best thing that could happen to Israel would be to cut off all aid from the US immediately, so it could pursue such alliances as best benefit Israeli interests (with Turkey and India, trade deals with China and African countries).  Of course, it is sometimes [http://muqata.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-hamas-couldnt-shoot-stinger.html good to have US technologies].  Israel could develop its air industry (the Kfir, Lavi etc.) and export to our natural allies, instead of being hobbled by Uncle Sugar.
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Living in the Land gives you opportunities for ''mitsvot'' which simply don't exist in the Exile.  This week, for the first time in my life, I separated "tithes" (''teruma'' and ''ma`aserot''), on the fruit of our ''sheseq'' (loquat).  Not that there was a large crop of them, but one may not eat vegetables and fruits and grain grown in the Land by Jews, without separating out the tithes.
  
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For the record: Israel has a powerful economy (thanks to high-tech, bio-tech, alternative energy research, agricultural industry, medical research etc...).
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Also this week was "Holocaust Memorial Day" ''{{wiki|yom hashoah}}'', which is marked among other things by a two-minute-long siren -- during which most people stop what they are doing and stand in silent memorial. However, there are good reasons to object to this particular memorial day. First, we already have fast days (in particular the 9th of Av) to commemorate the evil which has happened to our people. Second, the majority of Jewish practice is that the month of Nissan (during which ''yom hashoah'' always falls) is a month of happiness and mourning is curtailed.  Third, and please don't get upset -- the ''shoah'' is not the worst thing which has happened to the Jewish people, and singling it out for special treatment above the far more formative events in our history (such as the destruction of the First and Second Temples) is perverse and wrong-headed. Understandable, but wrong in my opinion.
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{|
 
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| Country || GDP || GDP per cap||Life expectancy
 
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|-
 
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| USA || 14,330 || 47,000 || 78.1
 
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|-
 
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| EU || 18,850 || 33,400 || 78.7
 
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|-
 
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| Israel || 189 || 28,800 || 80.7
 
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|-
 
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| Lebanon || 28 || 11,100 || 73.6
 
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|-
 
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| Egypt || 158 || 5,400 || 72.1
 
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|-
 
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| Jordan || 19 || 5,000 || 78.9
 
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|-
 
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| Syria || 44.5 || 4,800 || 71.2
 
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|}
 
  
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(GDP is in billions of USD.  All numbers from the [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html CIA Factbook])
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Work has been utterly crazy for me.  I was the last one hired, but I'm the first one who has to produce final product. The part I'm working on is going to be burnt to CD end of next week, and shipped to paying customers -- so it absolutely must work 100%. Incredibly, I've got it working quite well right now -- so probably I can make the deadline, even though we have one more vacation day (Israeli Independence day) next week.
  
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As you can see, Israel has over twice the GDP per capita of its nearest neighbor in the region, and not too far off the EU's.  It also has the highest life-expectancy of any of the countries mentioned.  Draw your own conclusions.
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This past ''shabbat'' I had a severe attack of {{wiki2|Benign_paroxysmal_positional_vertigo|vertigo}}, which made me sick to my stomach and kept me at home.  Some of you remember I had this before -- so after ''shabbat'', I looked up how to perform the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6t-Bpg494 Epley maneuver] at my home.  When I did it, almost miraculously, the vertigo was cured -- and I'm back to "normal".
  
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So please, next time you feel the urge [http://biurchametz.blogspot.com/2009/02/real-reasons-israel-cant-play-violin.html to give Israel advice], remember we're doing OK even without your help.  But if you want to put your money where your mouth is and move here and lend a hand, we would be grateful.
+
In manly news: I took apart, cleaned and re-heat-sinked our laptops. They had been getting very hot, so I figured cleaning out their cooling systems would be a good idea. When I took them apart, I found they were all wearing felt coats of lint blocking the fan-exit holes -- so naturally, they didn't get cooled down properly.  Now, after cleaning and "tuning up", they are all running much cooler and more quietly.
  
 
Until next week,<br>
 
Until next week,<br>
 
Shabbat shalom!
 
Shabbat shalom!
  
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Latest revision as of 16:11, 1 May 2009

April 24th (See this week's devar torah)
Send Ron feedback on this blog

Hi again!

Help feed the hungry in Israel!

Another busy week! Work has been crazy, the birds and the flowers are bursting with activity (as are the ants). Had the opportunity to do a new mitsvah.

Last week I posted pictures of flowers, and a friend of mine asked if there were any birds in Israel -- since it seems so arid. It turns out that Israel has a very large and varied bird population, because of its unique location at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. We have a tremendous number of birds... here are professional pictures of some.

Just yesterday we noticed a hummingbird hovering outside our salon window -- it was interested in the sweet smelling roses which are growing like crazy all around our house. Today there was a dove trying to establish a nest right at the front door of our house (above the electric meter). I sent it away, and hopefully it won't return to litter our front stoop with its offerings.

The ants have not yet given up. This week they finally drove Esther crazy, so my war of extirpation has had to be turned up a notch. I've been looking for boric acid, which is a primary ingredient in the more effective ant-baits. In the US, one could purchase it in any drugstore... but here, no such luck. However, I did find one place (beware: advert for a local vendor follows), a privately owned pharmacy "Brosh", here in Maaleh Adummim, which not only has boric acid -- but can make all kinds of custom formulations (they actually have a laboratory, unlike the chain drugstores). I was very happy to find they carried the poison I needed. After getting back home with my stash, I cooked up some ant-be-gone syrup and put it in a couple places in the kitchen. Sadly, no ants have yet bitten the bait -- which isn't too surprising, they're fearfully clever little creatures.

Living in the Land gives you opportunities for mitsvot which simply don't exist in the Exile. This week, for the first time in my life, I separated "tithes" (teruma and ma`aserot), on the fruit of our sheseq (loquat). Not that there was a large crop of them, but one may not eat vegetables and fruits and grain grown in the Land by Jews, without separating out the tithes.

Also this week was "Holocaust Memorial Day" yom hashoah, which is marked among other things by a two-minute-long siren -- during which most people stop what they are doing and stand in silent memorial. However, there are good reasons to object to this particular memorial day. First, we already have fast days (in particular the 9th of Av) to commemorate the evil which has happened to our people. Second, the majority of Jewish practice is that the month of Nissan (during which yom hashoah always falls) is a month of happiness and mourning is curtailed. Third, and please don't get upset -- the shoah is not the worst thing which has happened to the Jewish people, and singling it out for special treatment above the far more formative events in our history (such as the destruction of the First and Second Temples) is perverse and wrong-headed. Understandable, but wrong in my opinion.

Work has been utterly crazy for me. I was the last one hired, but I'm the first one who has to produce final product. The part I'm working on is going to be burnt to CD end of next week, and shipped to paying customers -- so it absolutely must work 100%. Incredibly, I've got it working quite well right now -- so probably I can make the deadline, even though we have one more vacation day (Israeli Independence day) next week.

This past shabbat I had a severe attack of vertigo, which made me sick to my stomach and kept me at home. Some of you remember I had this before -- so after shabbat, I looked up how to perform the Epley maneuver at my home. When I did it, almost miraculously, the vertigo was cured -- and I'm back to "normal".

In manly news: I took apart, cleaned and re-heat-sinked our laptops. They had been getting very hot, so I figured cleaning out their cooling systems would be a good idea. When I took them apart, I found they were all wearing felt coats of lint blocking the fan-exit holes -- so naturally, they didn't get cooled down properly. Now, after cleaning and "tuning up", they are all running much cooler and more quietly.

Until next week,
Shabbat shalom!


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